Sharks on the boil

FORMER Sale and England star Dewi Morris is backing the Sharks' star-studded squad to claim one of the Guinness Premiership's play-off spots as the most exciting title race in years comes to the boil. With just a month to go, seven clubs are still in with a chance of grabbing a top-four place - and an invite into next season's Heineken Cup. Just 10 points separate leaders Gloucester from seventh-placed Wasps and with all of the contenders to play at least one of their rivals in the run-in, anything is possible.

FORMER Sale and England star Dewi Morris is backing the Sharks' star-studded squad to claim one of the Guinness Premiership's play-off spots as the most exciting title race in years comes to the boil.

With just a month to go, seven clubs are still in with a chance of grabbing a top-four place - and an invite into next season's Heineken Cup.

Just 10 points separate leaders Gloucester from seventh-placed Wasps and with all of the contenders to play at least one of their rivals in the run-in, anything is possible.

Crucially, fifth-placed Sale have a game in hand on five of their contenders and former British Lion Morris has put his money where his mouth is by having a wager with pundit colleague Stuart Barnes that the Sharks will emerge as one of the last men standing from rugby's very own High Noon.

"These next 10 days for Sale are going to be absolutely crucial," he said.

"They face Bristol tomorrow, travel to Wasps on Tuesday and then entertain Newcastle the following Sunday.

"I know Sale coach Philippe Saint-Andre reckons they need four wins out of five to be sure but in an ideal world they could do with winning all five games and then they'd be a shoe-in.

"Looking at their run-in, I think the key game will be the re-arranged game at Wasps. Bristol tomorrow night is not going to be easy but they should have enough ammunition there.

"And if they were to beat Bristol and then win at Wasps, that would really hamper Wasps' hopes and help Sale take one of their big rivals out of the play-off equation.

"They have invested heavily in the likes of Andrew Sheridan, Luke McAlister and Sebastien Chabal and owner Brian Kennedy will want some return on that investment.

"That pudding of a pitch at Edgeley Park hasn't helped. It's narrow, which hampers their attack, and getting out of the mud slows them down further.

"However, there's no doubt that they have the talent to do it and I can see positive signs. Their captain, big Jason White, is coming back to form and full fitness, and the likes of Chris Jones and Magnus Lund will want to prove points to England.

"In the backs, Lee Thomas has been a revelation since McAlister's arrival, Oriol Ripol's playing well on the wing and now Ben Foden's fit again at full-back they have even more attacking options.

"And though I know Charlie Hodgson's just become a dad for the first time, now he must concentrate on not giving Saint-Andre and any of the supporters' sleepless nights!

"So we know they have got enough talent. The question now is have they got the belief for these are the games that define your season and define your character."

With so many permutations still feasible at this stage of the season, it means every game carries huge meaning.

And to Morris' mind that's one in the eye for the army of critics who poured scorn on the notion of the play-off system when it was first introduced in 2003.

"It's incredible and a fantastic situation to be in from a neutral perspective," Morris added.

"Your season is defined on whether you get in the top four or not and it proves how brilliant an innovation the play-off system has been.

"Some people turned their noses up at it, pointing to the fact that in 2003 Gloucester finished top yet lost in the final when it was first introduced.

"Rugby League did it and it took three or four years for the supporters to grab hold of that and Union has been no different.

"And when you have got the likes of Sale and Leicester developing strong, young English talent for international duty, it's only fair that those teams have a chance at the end of the season to put their main teams out and hopefully get in that top four."

With all the game's traditional giants slugging it out for supremacy along with 2006 champions Sale, a rejuvenated Harlequins and a Saracens side that stunned Welsh giants Ospreys in last weekend's Heineken Cup, it takes a brave man to pick out a top four.

But, as in his playing days, Morris has never been afraid of straight talking and believes he has seen enough to warrant a wager on Sale to keep their hopes of regaining the title alive

"I'm sure there will be plenty more twists and turns to come but if I had to pick a top four, I would plump for Gloucester who I think will just about get there, with Leicester, Bath and Sale also in the mix.

"Even though they are currently top, you could say that Gloucester are slightly imploding if their form in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Munster last weekend is anything to go by.

"Now they have got a massive game against Saracens this weekend. Conversely, Saracens played out of their skin to beat Ospreys last weekend but their form in the league has been going down.

"Bath have been consistent and up there all along and their pack is key for them, Wasps are coming up on the rails and have only got the one competition to concentrate on which is worrying for everyone else.

"Leicester are Leicester but they can be beaten if you slow their ball and impose a game plan as Wasps proved a couple of weeks ago.

"And then there's Harlequins who, under coach Dean Richards, have transformed their season after their miserable Heineken Cup experience and are really playing with a momentum."